Out of Time
by XGuestX
Summary: L has a surprise visitor while in his hotel room.


**Death Note? In my 2017? It's more likely than you think!**

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L was resting in his hotel room, his mind methodically going over the facts of the Kira case, when he heard a knock on the door. He assumed it was Light, but it was unusual that the teen hadn't said anything along with the knock. Even so it could be Watari or even Masuda. Maybe the annoying detective had decided to bring him some coffee for once. L left his computer on the bed, not happy about being disrupted, but it wasn't as if he was making much progress on the case after Higuchi's arrest.

L opened the door and couldn't control the scream that escaped his mouth as he saw who was there. The thin cold fingers of Beyond Birthday quickly covered L's mouth to silence the detective who was frozen in a state of shock.

"Come on, Lawliet, do I frighten you that much? You look like you've seen a ghost, and here I was thinking we were old friends." B smirked and took his hands off L. His eyes paused briefly at the space above the L's head, before he looked the other man in the eyes.

"H-how did you get here?" L choked out, not even sure himself why B's presence was scaring him so much. It had never had such a strong effect before, sure B had unnerved him but this was something else entirely. "You should be in jail, in America no less! No, that's not right." L blinked as he realized the key detail he had somehow missed."You died ten months ago in jail. Kira killed you!"

"Always worrying about the little things aren't you, Lawliet? I escaped of course. I assumed a great detective such as yourself would be able to figure that out." Beyond deftly avoided the question-his mouth was made for lying in the same way that L's was.

"Where's Watari? He should be on his way to stop you." L knew from previous experience that B was superior to him when it came to a physical fight, but Watari had a variety of weapons at his disposal which could be used to subdue the serial killer.

"The old man's alive, don't worry. He's simply dozing, although not for too much longer," B laughed, and it sent shivers down L's spine. The way Beyond laughed had always unnerved him, he went through all the motions of laugher, but his laughs were empty; there was no true feeling in them.

The serial killer stopped his empty laugher and stared at L with unblinking eyes as if he was seeing the detective clearly for the first time. L managed to meet the other man's gaze for the first time that night and was reminded that B's dark gray eyes were identical to the his own. It was uncanny, but it was one of the reasons B had been able to fool people back at Wammy's. At least B's hair was different, a dark brown and slightly curly. He hadn't bothered to dye it to match L's the way he had for Naomi. But the hair looked different now, it was rough and a bit unkempt. Like it hadn't grown back quite right after the incident.

The two men were not related by blood, so it was impossible that they'd look similar in every way. B's face was sharper than L's, crueler, and his eyes didn't naturally have such dark circles. Not that it mattered because with makeup Beyond had been able to match the detective to the point where even Watari had trouble telling the two apart. What had always given him away was his smile, a wicked grin that stretched from ear to ear, eerie and real in way that was far more frightening then his fake laugh. Perhaps now B's scars would have scared most people more than his smile, but not L. He knew the true horror behind that smile.

But the two men didn't look alike anymore, there was one major difference between them, something which would be difficult for even B to cover up with makeup. The entire right side of Beyond Birthday's face was horribly disfigured with burn scars and L knew from experience that they continued along his entire body. It was a direct result of setting himself on fire during the LA BB Murder Cases. L would shudder every time he thought about it because he knew if given the chance B would do it all over again just for a chance to beat him. Beyond Birthday was willing to do anything to surpass the world's greatest detective, regardless of the cost, even if that cost was his own life.

"L Lawliet," B crooned and moved closer, his face merely inches from L's, his white teeth bright in the dim room.

"What do you want B?" the detective asked, trying to hide his fear. Not like it mattered anyway, B had always been able to see right past all of his facades.

"You're scared," B said and smiled even wider. "How cute. Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. That's someone else's job. I'm just hoping to join in on the fun."

"What do you mean?" B's words had sent L's mind racing. Of course he was here to witness the death of the man he had always failed to surpass, that fact was less shocking that the fact that B has told him he was going to die.

"I want to watch you die. Then I want to kill whatever kills you. That way I'll have won."

It made sense, if looked at through Beyond's twisted logic. He had finally accepted that his blood-soaked hands would not play a part in his greatest rival's death, but he sure as hell wasn't going to miss the show. Beyond motioned to the inside of the hotel room. "Shall we?"

"What do you want?" L asked, this time covering his fear with annoyance. He finally managed to still his heartbeat to normal rate.

"Just to have some fun." B's dark eyes gleamed with excitement.

"No." L's voice was strong and steady.

B sighed unhappily, "Why can't you just be more agreeable?" B pouted at L and pulled out a knife, the silver blade shining wickedly in the light. L was suddenly very glad he hadn't attacked the other man on sight, but something else troubled him. There was no way he could have gotten a knife into the building, at least, not through the security system. There was a high chance L was the last of the Task Force still alive.

"Get on the bed, now," B ordered. L didn't see the point in struggling. If he had gone to the trouble of bringing a knife, B was far too meticulous not to know how to use it masterfully.

L sat on the single bed in the hotel room and B sat next to him, knife still in hand.

"It's so good to see you again Lawliet," he whispered into L's ear and traced the side of the detective's face with the tip of his knife. "It's been too long since we last met face to face. Five years, seven weeks, three days, and 39 seconds to be precise." Beyond leaned against the headboard and twirled the knife in one hand.

"Lie down," he said, his voice low. L did as the other man commanded, and before he knew it they were both laying on the bed with his head on B's chest.

L swallowed uncomfortably, for all the intrusions into personal space he did on the job, it was mostly a bluff and being this close to someone, to _B_ was uncomfortable. B knew this of course.

"Why are you doing this?" L said, his mind barely registering the soft sheets below his body for the man beneath his head.

B laughed, his chest vibrating softly under L's cheek as he did so.

"Why not?" He hummed softly.

L didn't find the answer very satisfactory.

Beyond's hand moved to L's head and started playing with the other man's hair, not trying to be gentle with the tangled locks. It might have been a soothing sensation, if it wasn't B preforming the action.

L realized he could hear B's heartbeat. It was an uneven rhythm, erratic. Beyond was excited and making no effort to hide it. It reminded L of why the serial killer had come.

"So I'm going die soon?" L asked, wincing slightly as B pulled at a knot in his hair.

"What gave it away?" B smirked.

"You said you wanted to see me die." L replied dryly. "Are you going to be here long? I have criminals to catch. One in particular."

"Kira." B hummed, pausing in his ministrations of L's hair. "I'm sorry Lawliet, are you not enjoying this?" He said without a trace of remose in his voice. He could sound as apathetic as the detective when he liked.

"I don't like it, but I also can see that the odds of you hurting me if I resist are high. Over seventy percent, I'd say."

"Ooo your percentages. I had forgotten about those," B said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "And you're right that they're high but at the same time, you know I would never kill you. What's the fun in that? I simply want to beat L, the greatest detective in the world. And I do believe I will." He paused.

"How long do I have left?" L said, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his voice. His life was ticking away. He lifted his head from B's chest, away from that unnerving heartbeat. It was a wonder the man had a heart at all.

"Never mind that," L knew B would not give him a straight answer. "I have data on some minor cases that I need to send to officials. The Kira data…well the Task Force will know what do with it." L mused, raising his thumb to bite at the tip.

"But Lawliet how are you going send it?" B asked, a picture of innocence as he sat up to face L, the amusement plain in his voice.

"I'll ask Watari to-"

"No, I don't think you will," B said as he looked at the clock.

"Why not?" L's voice shook and he cursed himself inwardly.

"Watari will die in one minute. And you in two." The way he said it, it was just as if he was stating the facts for a case. It was almost emotionless except for the twinge of excitement that he couldn't hide. B never could resist trying to outdo L, and this time it looked like he had done it.

"How's Naomi doing? Has she divorced that sorry excuse for a husband yet?" B said, as if he hadn't just delivered a death sentence.

"Dead. Both of them." L managed to choke out. He had to concentrate, to do anything, _anything_ to keep his sanity.

Beyond's face soured and he frowned, "But how?" It had been obvious he had taken a liking to the famous Misora Massacre.

"Kira." L felt his face turn into a smirk as he realized there were still ways to hurt B. "It strings doesn't it? Not being important anymore. No one remembers you, Beyond Birthday, and after today no one ever will."

"Come now Lawliet," B's normally calm voice rose a few octaves in his panic. L's successors had always fought for the recognition that being the best in the world brought them, and B was no exception. "You don't mean-" he stopped and stared above L's head.

"Your time, it's run out." And B turned his face to meet L's gaze, his gray eyes mirroring the fear in L's, his hair messy like L's, his face pained like L's.

It was then that L felt it, a horrible tightness in his chest. He felt his heart beat once, twice, and then no more. The world started to fade around him as he fell into B's waiting arms. Beyond's face lost all its calm composure. He was screaming.

"Where are you, you bastard? Where—" He paused, realizing what had happened. " _Kira!_ " B said the name as if it was a curse. "Damn you Kira! Damn you!" He howled in rage, but no one was there to hear him for L was already gone.

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 **Yes, the task force is all dead too. This was sitting in my wips for two years, come back next time for more Death Note angst lol.**


End file.
